bento boxes

Looking at thermal bento sets and lunch jars

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Do you like the idea of bentos, but not the idea of eating cold food all the time for lunch? Or maybe you just yearn for some hot soup in the winter months, but you don't have access to a microwave at lunchtime. A thermal bento set or lunch jar could be just what you need. But which one?

xmas-onigiri2.pngWelcome to the 3rd and final part of the 2010 Holiday Gift Guide for bento fans! In Part 1 we covered under-$10 gifts, and in Part 2 we looked at gifts in the $10-50 range. Now it's time to look at gifts for that really special bento person in your life - including yourself!

I had a bit of a hard time putting together this list actually (which is why it took some time to post). At first I was going to recommend some bento-friendly appliances, such as a nice rice cooker. But I did that kind of thing in my original Holiday Gift Guide 3 years ago. So, this time I am going to concentrate on the pure indulgences - high end bento boxes, sets and other stuff. I know, I have said time and time again on these pages that you can do bentos with inexpensive, practical plastic containers - and you can, and should start out with those until you're sure bento-ing is for you. But just as you might want to indulge in a beautiful dinnerware set from Wedgewood or Royal Copenhagen or something, you might want to splurge on one special bento box. After all, a special bento box is something a lot more intimate than a for-company-only dinnerware. Or how about this; think of a special bento box as a treat for yourself (or your favorite bento person), like a set of really nice silk lingerie instead everyday cotton underpants.

xmas-onigiri3.pngWelcome to part 2 of the 2010 Holiday Gift Guide for bento fans! In Part 1 we covered $10-and-under stocking stuffers.

This time, we get the the price range where you can pick up a serious, high quality bento box and more. Selecting individual bento boxes is really a matter of individual taste, so I've selected a few that caught my eye for various reasons.



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xmas-onigiri.pngI haven't done a Holiday Gift Guide since the year JustBento was born, way back in 2007 (yes, JustBento is 3 years old and a raving toddler!) The guide back then focused on the practical side of bento-ing, but this time I'm going to go all over the place and pick out items that are just fun, weird or cute as well as practical. I've picked up some items from around the internets that might appeal to bento lovers of all ages and tastes, and arranged them by price range (excluding shipping).

Things have changed quite a bit for bento gear fans in the past 3 years. Back then, you had to This year, I found so many great things available that I've divided this guide into parts based on price. First up: $10 (US) and under stocking stuffers! It's a bit hard to find good quality bento boxes in this price range, unless you go for something plain and practical. But there are lots of gift-appropriate accessories that would appeal to bento fans.

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Today's Back To School giveaway comes to you from Bento&co. It's the impossibly kawaii Kokeshi Bento!

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I hope you've been enjoying the Back To School Week giveaways so far! Here's another one for you, an adorable pink bento box from From Japan With Love.

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It's Giveway No 3 of Back To School Week - a great bento set from CasaBento!

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The Back To School Week deals continue! First up today are two discount codes from Japonmania, our newest site sponsor, to give you a little taste of their shop.

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